Process of manufacturing lithographed cans.



F. EBERHARTL PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING LITHOGRAPHED CANS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, I914- Patented May 22, 1917.

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on'irsn TATEsE A EN @FHQE FELIX EBERHART, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, :ASSIGNOR-TOAMERICAN CAN COMPANY,

. OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF N EWJ ERSEY.

rnocnss or MANUFACTURING-"LITHOGRAiI-IED c ans Application filed February 9, 1914. Serial N 0. 817,721..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that'I, FELIX EBERHART, a citizen of the United States, residing in Newark, in the county of Essex and'State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Processes of Manufacturing Lithographed Cans, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in process of manufacturing lithographed cans.

For some time past it has been found that sheet metal cans or other containersdecorated or embellished with pure white or other delicate and light shades of lithographing are constantly increasing in popularity with the trade with the result that cans so lithographed are gradually superseding the cans which are merely labeled with paper labels in the old manner. Considerable difii culty, however, has been encountered in providing such lithographed cans, inasmuch as lithographing done in white or other light and delicate shades cannot successfully withstand the heat encountered in the processing step which the cans must undergo after the same have been filled with the food products. This processing heat discolors the white and other light shades. Onthe other hand, it is found that the processing heat does not materially affect the darker shades of lithographing.

. The object of this invention is'to provide a process whereby cans lithographed with any desired combination of dark and light colored lithographing may be supplied'to the trade in perfect condition and to this end, the invention consists .in first providing a can or other sheet metal container with a portion of its exterior surface'lithographed in colors or shades which can successfully undergo the processing step, the can being provided with a blank space over which may be placed, after the processing step, a label lithographed in white or light colors which Iclannot successfully withstand a processing eat.

The invention furthermore consists in the improvements in the steps and novel combinations of the steps herein shown, described and claimed.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification I have illustrated the manner of carrying out my improved process and in said drawing Figure 1 is a part sectional view of what is commonly termed a cooker Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1917.

or exhaust box through which cans filled with food products are passed in order to process the contents, said figure also showing two filledcans lithographed or embel lished in shades which can successfully undergo theprocessing temperature, a blank space being shown on the can over'which is to be placed a metallic lithographed label having lighter shades thereon; Fig.2 is a plan view of a metallic label lithographed inthe light shades, and Fig.3 :shows the finished can with the metallic label lithographed in light colors attached thereto after the can has been passed through the cooker or exhaustbox? 1 .7 1 i In carrying out my process, the can body is formed fromia sheet of metal byqany well knownmachinery for that purpose,-the sheet which is employed to; make the can body being first lithographed as shown .at :10, 10 at its upper and lower portions'with dark colored shades, the lithographing being indicated by stippling in the drawing. Such lithographingmay preferably include data or information which is applicable to all the products of any particular canner, such for instance as the canners guarantee,. the name and'loc-atio-n of the canner,the quality ofthecontents, etc, such data being indicated roughly in the drawing by the "words Company and Chicago, Illinois. After the food'products have been placed in the cans the latter arepartially closed and then passed through the exhaust box or cooker designated by the reference-1 1,- said cooker having lower guiding tracks 12 and steam coils 13. On account of the cans being lithographed or embellished with dark shades only, the processing heat will not affect the same, After the filled cans have been processed, a metallic label 14 may be attached thereto by a tongue and slot connection 15 and 16 as shown in Fig. lithographed in light shades, as indicated in the drawing, and provided with such terms as California peaches). Maine corn, Raspberry jam, the cans contents. As shown more clearly in the drawing, the metallic label is placed on that part of the can'body which has not previously been lithographed and is held from etc., to designate 3, the label 14 being sliding movement thereon by any suitable means such as a plurality of projections 17. As will be understood, any other suiting the metallic label or member carrying the light shades of lithographing.

From the preceding description it will be seen that the finished can may be lithographed in any desired combination of light and dark shades and by employing the proc ess described, the light shades of the lithographing do not have to withstand the processing heat. pleasing to the eye and is a much superior product to the paper-labeled cans now generally supplied to the trade, which paper labels are often times torn, mutilated or injured by rust caused by the moisture.

It will also be noted that another very important result is obtained by employingmy process since a packer Inay, at the beginning of a season, order hisentire seasons requirement of cans of various sizes, all of which may be embellished with such information or data as is applicable to all the canners products, as previously indicated, and if any cans cannot be used at the end of a run, the canner or packer does not suffer any loss as otherwise occurs under the old conditions where a packer orders more cans than can be used and which are provided with lithographing for one quality or kind of food products. By my improved'process, the canner can attach metallic labels lithographed with the name of any kind or quality of food product to any can body and thus effect a material saving and at the same time be enabled to carry in storage a quantity of lithographed cans.

Where I have used the term lithographing it will be understood that I mean, the same to include enameling, decorating, embossing, printing, or coating which is integral with the can as distinguished from paper labels.

Although I have herein shown what I-lnow consider the preferred manner of' carrying The finished article is thus out my improved process, it will be understood that changes and modifications may be made in the steps and arrangement of steps without departing from'the spirit of the invention.

,I claim:

1. The process of manufacturing lithographed cans, which consists: in first lithographing the sheet metal parts of which the cans are to be made in colors adapted to withstand a processingheat, and preparing separate labels adapted to be attached to the said cans and lithographing the samein colors which would not be adapted to withstand a processing heat; then assembling the can parts, excepting the labels, to provide cans ready for filling and processing; and attaching said separate labels to the cans after processing.

2. The process of manufacturing lithographed cans, which consists: in first lithographing the sheet metal parts of which the can bodies are to be made in colors adapted to withstand a processing heat leaving a blank space over which the label is to be attached after processing, and preparing separate sheet metal labels adapted to be attached to the said cans and lithographing the same in desirable colorswhich would not be adapted to withstand a processing. heat; then assemblingthe can parts, excepting the sheet metal labels, to provide cans ready for filling and processing; and then, after processing', attaching said separate sheet metal lithographed labels to the cans'over the said blank space. V

Signed: this 2nd: day of- February, 1914, in the presence of two witnesses.

- FELIX EBERI-I ART.

Witnesses i I W. D. Fos'rER, C. W. GRAHAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the- Commissioner of Patents; Washington, D. O. 

